Essence Of The Past
by fangthane
Summary: Hedonist, Artist's, Lovers and Poseurs. Enter the dark intrigue and adventure of the clan Toreador
1. Chapter 1

Warning! 

Warning! This story is rated M for mature. This story contains adult situations, strong language and gore.

I am posting this special writing due to the graphic description of gore and related issues.

Please do not send me any angry e-mails

Warning

Disclaimer: I do not nor would I ever claim to own or control anything about "Vampires the Masquerade" "Bloodlines" or any White Wolf related material.

WARNING!

Rescue

He spun her swiftly as she responded to his dance step. His dance, a Mexican Jarabe Tapat'io, or Hat Dance was fast and she was cautious not to falter. He took her in his arms and looked into her eyes as he leaned her almost to the floor. He smiled and lifted her slowly closer, into his embrace. The music began to slow and he held her at a modest distance away from him. He flipped the sombrero into his hand and held it in front of them both. Leaning her again in a dip, he drew her close. Behind the hat, he kissed her deeply. She trembled a moment as his tongue touched hers. Then he broke the kiss and stood as the music stopped. "Your dancing is getting much better Phaedra; you have been practicing without my knowledge." The tall redhead stood as well and fixed her chauffeur suit. "No, I am just a good student; you know I pick up on things fast." Lord Fredrick Thane smiled. "Yes, you are a fast learner, and an excellent valet." Thane looked at his Rolex; he rushed from the room towards his study. Phaedra yelled as he ran. "What's the rush; we still have time to dance!" Thane tossed off his coat as he ran; a servant followed retrieving the articles. "I have a plane to catch!" Phaedra smiled and nodded her head. Her boss was flighty, and would suddenly run off to do this and that. Someday he would invite her.

The C-5 cargo jet banked slowly as it changed course for Virginia. Escorting it where two F-16 fighters, one at each side of the huge cargo plane. The pilot observed that he had traffic above and well ahead of him, this was of no concern. On each fighter, the pilots watched their radar for any aircraft. The order was from CIA Agent Usher, "If anything gets close, shoot it down." Far above the cargo jet, a lone figure in black fell. The intruder wore a one piece black body suit and a small bag hung from its hip. Moving its body just right, it could change direction and slowdown, the figure wore no parachute. As it got close to the cargo plane, it moved across the top and landed just in front of the vertical stabilizer. The wind hitting the intruder was tremendous. But it began to crawl along the top towards the middle, being careful not to make any noise. Inside, soldiers dressed in black walked about the aircraft. Some played cards, others napped. Unaware of what was above them. The intruder reached just behind the wings and began to pull small disks out of the bag. It was difficult to crawl upside-down but the intruder had experience at this task. With care each disk was placed evenly apart around the belly of the jet. After the last one was set, the figure made its way back to the rear of the aircraft.

Concentrating on the disk ahead of him, the intruder held onto the aircraft tighter. The disk began to glow a deep blue, then it exploded. Each disk detonated a millisecond after the next. The C-5 broke in half, the forward section and wings flipped upward passing over the intruder. Men screamed as they where expelled into the night sky. One flew over the intruder with a hand of cards. "To bad, straight flush," the insurgent said. The aft section immediately filled with air and almost stopped in mid flight. It wavered then tilted downwards and fell towards the earth. The intruder crawled on its skin to the jagged opening as the section began to flip end over end. Reaching the opening, the man in black carefully climbed into the jet section. He noticed a large aluminum cylinder strapped to the floor and several boxes behind it. With a grunt, the intruder landed on the floor next to the cylinder. Behind him, the ground appeared and vanished through the opening as the jet section was now in a fast tumble. He really had no time to waste, the section he was in was fast approaching the ground. He reached down and snapped the steel bands with ease that held the cylinder strapped to the floor. Grabbing handles on the cylinders sides, the intruder dove out of the aircraft section. Reaching into the small bag with one hand, he removed a small scroll and began to chant under his breath. As the chanting increased in speed, the intruder looked in horror as the aircraft section tumbled and caught him in its opening. "Shit, this cant always be this difficult," the intruder yelled. The ground was approaching at an alarming rate and the chant was not working. The intruder let the scroll go and splayed his fingers and began another chant. The scroll spun in the air a moment then it, the intruder and the cylinder vanished. The aircraft section smashed into the ground with a tremendous exploding boom.

Martin McClatchy sat watching CNN in his office. The First Lady was on her death bed. Her cancer was running rampant and the doctors gave her no hope. The President was at her bed side holding her hand on the television. McClatchy remembered her; she was always full of life, always polite to him. He glanced out through the door to his secretary who was adjusting her thigh highs. "Dumb as a stump, but damn it's nice to look at." He jumped as his phone buzzed on his desk he picked up the receiver and answered. "McClatchy …shit; no way I had the fucking thing covered by two freaking fighters!" He sat and listened to more details, then closed his eyes and spoke. "OK, clean up the mess, make up something for the media, and get back with me when it's done. McClatchy shook his head and punched at his phone in frustration before dialing the number for Colonel Usher. The phone rang and rang with no answer, not even a voice mail. McClatchy slammed the receiver down. "DORIS!" The secretary jumped from her seat and ran in. "Yes sir!" McClatchy stood and grabbed his coat. Get my driver and car around front ASAP, I need to get to Colonel Ushers office." The secretary turned and tapped the intercom switch as McClatchy ran down the hall to the elevators.

The intruder appeared in the skies above upper state New York. "OPEN!" the intruder yelled. The mask split open and Fredrick Thane shook his long hair loose from the masks confines. Beneath him was his villa, and he figured his point of impact would be his new conservatory. "Figures I just had the damn thing built." He didn't need to use his lungs, but he filled them with air and screamed. "LADY!" He held the cylinder close and saw the detail of the conservatory roof. Suddenly something dark flew across his line of sight. He hit scales and grabbed one as he slid. He had landed on the back of an immense dragon which looked over its shoulder at him. "You cut that to close; I bet you did that on purpose!" Thane yelled. The dragon slowly arched and flew over a dark forest. Just over a hill, a small home was dimly lit. With a blast of wind from her gigantic wings, the dragon landed. Thane slid off her back and watched as the dragon quickly changed into a beautiful blond woman. She wore leather and ornate lace and carried a silver metal wand. As he walked to her, the black one piece suit he wore vanished and was replaced by a black Armani suit. Thane smiled a moment as he stood before her, then she hit him in the head with the wand. "You didn't use the scroll properly; you should have ended up here not up here, she waved her hand in the other direction, not up over there." Thane rubbed his head. "I did use it right, it was a faulty scroll!" Dragon gave him an evil glare. Thane conceded. "OK OK it was me." She smiled and looked at the cylinder which was on the ground. Thane knelt next to it and released the latches. As he opened it, Dragon held her nose. "Oh my, it reeks, it smells like a sewer." Thane flipped the lid open and stood gazing in awe.

Inside was an adult female, blonde dressed in beautiful white linen and jewels. She was in a fetal position and in her arms a small girl of about six mortal years old. Dragon moved the woman's tunic aside and pointed out the small wooden peg. "The crest of the Society of Leopold." Thane looked close at the peg. It was stabbed into the heart of the woman and had safety wire around it to secure it so as not to have it get pulled out. Thane looked at the girl. "She has one too, the sick bastards they even staked the child." Dragon knelt and placed her hand on the woman's cheek. "She is gone, no spark of life." Thane found a small notebook wedged in the side of the coffin, pulled it out, opened it and began to read aloud. "To Colonel Usher, here you will find two specimens of the vampires we spoke of, the female adult and her child. The adult was difficult to catch and posed a risk so at the advice of the Leopold people, she was decapitated." Thane looked at her neck, and found the jagged wound. He began to read again. "The child has been without nourishment for sometime and may be dead when you get this package, but she like the adult will be good for dissection and study, signed Tarsis Vonday."

Dragon touched the child's face. "Fredrick, she has life, not much, it fades fast!" Thane reached and grabbed the peg. With a grunt he snapped the wires, removed it and placed it in his pocket. The wound tried to heal but the child was too weak. "OK lady what do you need, anything and I will get it." Dragon Lady picked up the child, stood and walked quickly to her home. "I will need blood Fredrick, strong mortal blood, a healthy male." Thane stopped and smiled. "I know just where to get it, do what you can Lady, I will be right back." Thane whistled loudly and an old broom flew out from the home and rocketed by him. As it did, he hopped on it surfer style and took off into the night sky.

Jean Carter looked at her face in the mirror. Her eye was already blackening and beginning to bulge. She began to cry which made the eye hurt worse. Turning, she saw the man who had hit her. Her boyfriend Sergio stood naked on the balcony looking at her with a smug smile. She leaned against the sink with a grimace and gently rubbed her sore ribs he had hit last week. She was older then he by twenty years and he was stealing her money and her health. She thought to herself. "I am important, I make good money, I don't need him, and I should get rid of him." But her thoughts where just thoughts. If she tried to break up, he would beat her again and again as he had so many time's before. She began to cry again. Her sobs where interrupted by a sound from the balcony. Her eyes opened quickly to see Sergio, gone. The sound she heard sounded like a…a…"meep!" She swiped her tears away as she carefully approached the balcony and peered over hoping he had maybe fallen. But the parking lot was empty. "What the fuck?" With a puzzled look on her face she turned and walked back in and immediately saw Thane. She inhaled to scream but his eyes looked through her, she couldn't utter a sound. She stood transfixed, her gaze upon his, her mouth slowly fell open, all she could think of was that he was the most handsome man she had ever laid eye's on. He walked to her, still looking into her eyes using his charm to transfix her, he used a finger tip then slowly touched her chin, pushing her mouth closed. She had no fear now, all she could feel was lust. He smiled; his razor sharp fangs glistened in the dim room light. But she had no fear; for some strange reason she knew he would not hurt her. Thane touched her lips with a finger tip and then slid it sensually into her mouth. She sucked it greedily and gasped at the erotic feeling. He removed his finger from her mouth and slid it across a fang cutting small incision. He again slid it back into her mouth, the blood dripped on her tongue and in a matter of second's, her body burned.

She fell backwards leaning against a wall as her body ached. "What did you do to me, this hurts!" Thane stood still, unmoving as she pushed herself off the wall and staggered to the bathroom mirror again. She watched the refection in the mirror as her black eye vanished, her skin tightened making her wrinkles disappear, her breasts became full and firm. The pain began to ease as her body transformed into the goddess she once was. Thane took her hand and turned her towards him, then he kissed it as he gazed into her eyes again. "You can look like this as long as you want. I will not force you to, it is your choice." He let her hand go. Jean smiled and whispered, who are you?" Thane spoke as he walked towards the balcony. "I am a friend who may ask you a favor some time in the future." Jean looked at her body in amazement. "I'm young, I am beautiful!" Thane turned to face her and smiled. "Do you have vacation time coming?" Jean felt her breasts in awe, and replied. "Yes, in two weeks, I was going to Florida." Thane reached in his pocket and handed her two cards. "This one has my name on it and a number. Call it and tell them, hmmm…Jamaica, yes Jamaica would be nice this time of year." Jean again looked at him closely. "What are you, your blood, it…" Her voice trailed off as Thane touched her lips with his fingertip and smiled again. "I am a fantasy a sensual dream, a legend, a mere moment thought in time, now shush my dear." He removed his finger and turned and paced the room thinking, "Yes Jamaica, and the other card has a name on it, when you get to the Hilton, tell the desk man that name, and….enjoy." He gave her a wicked smile and winked, then he walked to the balcony and stepped on the broom which lifted him off the floor. She stood watching in awe, maybe she was dreaming, but what a dream it was. She spoke before he left. "But, what do I tell my friends, my coworkers about, me?" Thane smiled. "You had lypo, a tummy tuck, a boob job, and the works, tell them to be jealous and eat your dust as you walk away smiling my dear!" Jean laughed, and then stopped, she looked at him with a serious look on her face. "What about Sergio?" Thane smiled evilly. "He is going on a vacation as well." She smiled and watched as he flew away into the darkness feeling this was a bizarre dream.

Thane carried the now drained corpse of Sergio out behind Dragons home he walked a way's into the forest and dropped it on the ground. Behind Thane, in the forest a creature approached unbeknownst to him. Its movement's stealth, its eyes keen on the Toreador vampire's back. Thane lit a cigar and stood enjoying the night sky, unaware of the creature sneaking up behind him. The creature, a Saber Tooth Tiger, stepped quietly, each paw placed with precision. The Tiger was now directly behind Thane, it crouched low then reared its head up and pounced. Suddenly Thane was pushed over, he fell face first with a curse, then rolled over and sat up. He had to smile as he saw the tiger. "Weeee, who's the big kitty, who's my buddy!" The Tiger stepped over Thane's lap pushing into him and purred as the Toreador vampire stroked his deep fur. Thane pushed him off and stood giving the mighty head a pat. "I got something for you boy, something big and meaty!" The Tiger crouched as if to pounce. Thane grasped Sergio's body and tossed it into the air with ease; the Tiger launched upward and caught it. "Now you go eat, later we will play." The Tiger ran back into the forest carrying Sergio. Thane brushed himself off muttering about getting dirty and started walking back through the forest and entered the home. On the table, the child looked better, clean, dressed in a black dress of lace. As he reached the table, Thane pulled a small bottle of perfume out of his pocket and sprayed some on the girl. "Why does she smell so bad?" Dragon smiled over her rectangle glasses. "She is a Nosferatu, they all smell." Thane put the bottle in the child's hand. He had not bothered to check the adult's teeth. He turned away from the child then looked at Dragon. "I see, and who is she?" Dragon opened a large book looking through each page. She spoke absentmindedly without looking at Thane, she was busy perusing the lists of crests. "She has on a crest ring, I have not seen it before, but I will continue to look, and make sure she gets home to the proper people." Thane checked his Rolex and realized it was near sunrise and he needed rest. Tomorrow was the meeting of the Grand Masquerade and he wanted to look his best. He kissed Dragon on the cheek. "Thank you Lady, I appreciate your help with this matter" She never looked up from her research as he turned and walked out of her house.

It took him an hour to walk back to his mansion. As he did, a small squirrel sat on a branch and watched him. Thane glanced up and smiled and greeted him. "Hello Tat, how are you this eve?" The squirrel peered over the branch. "I'm fine, a little tired how are you?" Thane continued to walk. "I am fine, tired as well, I'm on my way home to get some sleep, I hope you have a good day." Tat relaxed, twitched his tail and sat back against the branch. "Good day to you to sir." Phaedra was waiting at the door with two servants. He entered and began tossing clothes off as he walked into the huge entrance hall. Phaedra was reading from a log as he continued to walk towards a large grand staircase. "You have a meeting tomorrow with Armani representatives about a dozen new suits you ordered and the Ball is also tomorrow." Thane smiled and thanked her for reminding him. He walked up to his room and slept.

Colonel Usher stood on top of a large rock looking at the carnage that was once a cargo jet. She hopped down rock after rock and walked to a large piece of debris. A soldier walked to her and saluted. "Ma'am, Mr. McClatchy is at the perimeter, he wants to be let in." Usher returned the salute and smiled. "Let him in but keep him under watch, I don't want him getting into anything." The soldier saluted and walked away. Usher watched till the soldier was out of sight and looked at the aircraft. She saw a piece of a disk lying among the debris. Looking at it, the piece suddenly lifted from the ground and flew to her hand. She examined it and slid it in her pocket. She looked at her watch and realized it would be sunrise soon. She closed her eyes and slowly vanished. As she did, McClatchy walked over a rise yelling her name looking for her but she was not to be found.

The following eve Thane rose from his slumber, showered and then began to dress and get ready for his meeting with Armani. It would be a fast meeting as he gave the representatives a package containing a drop of his blood for Giorgio himself. The employees didn't know the contents of the envelope; to them it was a simple letter with more suit orders. Then Thane would busy himself with preparations for his trip to the Grand Ball meeting. Every year the Primogen of each clan would meet with their whips and assistants and discuss events and problems. This was held in the La Salle Grande de Boule or the Grand Ball of the Masquerade in France. Thane was yelling orders to servants as Phaedra carried bags to his Bentley. "Make sure I have at least six suits and ten pair of shoes, and ties, lots of ties." Phaedra tossed another bag in the trunk and sat on the bumper. "Boss, you're going for the day, what's with all the stuff." Thane stopped a moment. "Because I like to look good and well…I have an appearance to keep up." Phaedra leaned over and grabbed the last bag and stuffed it in before taking her place behind the wheel. Thane climbed in the dark forest green car and motioned for Phaedra to get going.

The large 757 jet touched down on the runway in Paris. Instead of going to the standard terminal as most jets would, this one taxied to a private hanger. Inside two burly men in dark suits waited with a stretch limo. Charlemagne and Romeo, the two protectors of the Countess of Skye stood impatient waiting for the jet. "She is late again." Romeo sighed. Charlemagne smiled. "She is always late, just don't tell her I said that or you will regret it." He punched Romeo in the arm, Romeo scowled and was about to respond when the jet rolled into the hanger, he thought better about making a scene or the Countess would be displeased to find her protector's in a altercation, he shuddered to think of what punshment she might mete out for such a infraction of manner's, he would wait till later. Two airport staff members rolled a stairwell to the main door of the aircraft. With a hiss, the door opened and several servants walked out and checked the area and removed themselves from the stairwell. The Countess stepped out and looked around then focused her attention on her two body guards. She made her way down the steps and walked to the limo. She gave each body guard a look that made them cringe. She spoke rather loudly to be heard of the jets engines that were winding down. "I told you I wanted the white limo and not the black, "This is going to make me look like I am in a funeral procession! " Her eyes narrowed with anger, "I also said to send the Lear not this big monster, I don't know what either of you where thinking. You know you both can be replaced! She gave them one of her looks. And that thing", She pointed to the 757, "made me late, it's to slow!" "I swear neither of you have a brain between you! " Romeo shook his head and looked down. Charlemagne smiled a whispered to his brother. "I told you to send the Lear." Romeo began to talk when the Countess yelled in frustration. "I heard that Charlie! You two are sadly lacking in manners lately and seem to be in need of an attitude adjustment!" She smacked Charlie with her purse, then she gave Romeo a quelling look, "Open the damn car door and let's get going, Charlie, you drive." She slid into the limo, pulling Romeo with her; she gave him a smack over the head. "You two are driving me crazy"  
The group entered and the entourage left. The drive took less then an hour. Ahead, the Countess could see the Grand Ball as they approached. Its stained glass windows where lit up brightly from hundreds of candles inside. As the limo stopped, Charlemagne jumped out and opened the car door. The Countess exited and smoothed her black silk dress down and walked up the marble steps with Romeo trailing after her, Charlie left to park the car. Ahead of her, Thane stood waiting for her. He bowed and kissed her hand. "You look lovely as usual." The Countess smiled. "Of course I do darling, what would you expect from one such as I?" Thane smiled, offered her his arm and said, "I would expect nothing less from one as exalted as yourself my dear" She returned his compliment, "You look quite nice also my darling, let's go in before I'm unfashionably late," She took his proffered arm as he escorted her in the ball.

Inside, Phaedra stood writing the names of the Countess and Lord Thane into the registry. Behind them stood two immense bronze guards at each side of the main door. Both where hexed armor that would attack and kill any mortal who dared try to enter. For this meeting, only UN-dead could enter. As the Countess and Lord entered, they where announced to the people inside. Both smiled and bowed to the many vampires within. In the center of the main chamber was the Table of Honor. The table was round and inscribed ornately with images of each clan's crests. Made of pure Iron and weighing a ton, the table rose from the floor slowly as servants activated the hydraulics. Thane looked about the main chamber. On the walls, tapestries where everywhere. Each one had an image of vampires old and new. Thane himself had one in his royal armor he wore in the sixteenth century. But he noticed something that made him angry. He begged forgiveness from the Countess and hurried over to his tapestry she moved away to speak to another Primogen. Looking closely at it, he saw a black oily stain. Grabbing a servant, he pointed to it and yelled. "What's this, what is this stain?" The servant motioned to behind the tapestry. "I beg your forgiveness my Lord, the hydraulic pipe that brings forth the table is behind your tapestry. It has a leak and we have not fixed it yet." Thane sighed in resignation and slightly grumbled. "It figures the only place to put the pipe is behind my tapestry." The servant nodded. "It's been behind your tapestry for two centuries my Lord. We will fix it as soon as possible." Thane shook his head, "See that it is fixed!" and walked back to the Countess.

Servants hurried about preparing the stations at the table. Thane concentrated on the station of the Countess. He examined the bottle of bloodwyne the servant had just delivered. He grabbed the servant by the arm and handed back the bottle. "Sixty-seven, only an eighteen sixty-seven will do, not this junk, throw it away, er..actually put it at the Gangrel station; they have no class or taste." The servant put the bottle at the station of the Gangrel Primogen and quickly walked to the wyne cellar. Thane moved to his private waiting area. Here, the Primogen's whip could wait and listen, but not be seen; only the Primogen occupied the table at the meeting. As the room cleared, the Primogen took their seats. Thane sat and relaxed, lighting up a Bavarian cigar.

Two servants carried a small set of stairs to the table's edge and ran off into the shadows. The Primogen for the Ventrue clan stepped carefully up the stairs and walked to the middle of the table. In her hand, a tall bronze standard with the crest of clan Ventrue. She tapped the standard hard three times on the iron table making loud echoes in the Grand Ball room. "I call this conclave to order, we who are present, shall abide by the protocol of all meetings, introductions please." The Ventrue Primogen motioned to the Brujah Primogen. He stood five foot seven and appeared to be no more than a teenager. His hair was pure white and spiked with blood red tips. He wore a black button up dress shirt and black work pants. "I am Parker Carlton, Primogen of the Brujah clan, I bid you all welcome." He sat and the Gangrel Primogen stood. He wore a black leather long coat, almost like a duster. He was bald and had a large rod pierced through the bridge of his nose. He scowled and looked at the other Primogen. "I am Roman Maxis, Gangrel Primogen, lets get this done with I have things to do." As he sat, most noticed his eyes where all black, no pupil, just dead eyes. The Ventrue Primogen motioned to the Malkavian Primogen who sat in a catatonic state; he seemed not to notice or care about his surroundings. He was dressed in torn dirty clothes and to most appeared like a transient. The Ventrue Primogen ignored the Malkavian and moved to the next Primogen. To her surprise, the Nosferatu Primogen was missing. She stood a moment perplexed but continued on. The Tremere Primogen stood, "I am Tarsus Vonday, Primogen of the clan Tremere." At the mention of the name, Thane stood and dropped his cigar from his mouth. He peered out the small opening in the wall looking at the Tremere Primogen. A servant hurried and picked up the cigar and placed it in an ashtray.

Thane closely looked at the Primogen. He wore a simple suit of black and wore a plain white tie, Thane thought he had no fashion sense, but the name was what caught his attention. The same name that signed the book found in the coffin of the woman and girl. He wanted to contact the Countess by thought, but even that was forbidden during the meetings. The Countess stood and introduced herself, bowed slightly to the clan's members and sat back down. The Ventrue Primogen bowed and spoke. "I am Goldie Seth, Primogen of the Ventrue clan, and mediator of the evening." she then tapped her standard hard three times. "To begin is there any issues to be brought forth by any clan of urgency." The Gangrel Primogen stood and approached the stairs. Seth bowed and stood aside. Standing awkward due to his clothes, Maxis spoke. "It has come to my attention through the grapevine that the high levels of the mortal's government are up in arms over an attack on one of their primitive aircraft." Thane listened carefully. "This aircraft was brought down from as best I have been told, by Gangrel exploder buttons." The Primogen stirred. "We have no knowledge of this incident and place no claim on any kills of the worthless mortals. But we wish it known that the clan Gangrel have had no hand in this act."

Maxis bowed to Seth and returned to his seat. The Ventrue Primogen looked at each member. "Is there any response to this statement, any rebuttal?" The Countess was not aware if his actions, .Thane was assured she would not speak, but he waited on the others. Someone knew about the explosives he used, and they where trying to make trouble. He wondered which of the Primogen's were conspiring together. The table remained quiet and general business was discussed. Thane sat and retrieved his cigar, he was pondering the situation as the meeting went on.

The meeting lasted for three hours, after a time Thane napped. He never did like the conclave, it was dull and its lack of excitement was the main reason he would not be a Primogen. Seth banged her standard on the table and closed the meeting, this woke Thane from his nap, he rose and came out to escort the Countess. "Ah, Countess I need to discuss an issue with you." The Countess was walking at a stately pace with Thane at her side to the large bronze doors. The Countess stopped and turned to Thane. She smiled and said. "You know that after the meeting, the Primogen get together at the La vie de nuit extraordinaire and celebrate." Thane looked at her with concern. "Yes, I am aware of this and had planned on attending." The Countess nodded and smiled. "Then we can talk there." The Countess made her way to her limo, her protectors stood at either side of the door. "I need to get ready for the party Lord Thane and I expect you to be ready as well." She slid into her limo, her door closed by Romeo, she rolled her window down. Thane's brows both went up. He smiled and his clothes changed as he stood from the black Armani to a white Valentino tux. "OK, I'm ready." She shook her dark haired head and said " Your such a quick change artist". He laughed. " Somtime's it pay's to be quick" She winked at him and replied, " Not in all thing's my dear." She smiled and closed the car window, her limo left, he shook his head, he knew not all thing's needed to be rushed, no, not all. Phaedra arrived with his green Bentley. He made his way to his car, seated himself and bade her to take him to the club.

Extraordinary Night Life

It took the Countess two hours to prepare and finally arrive. Thane was sitting at a large table sipping a blood wyne. As she entered, the other Primogen stood and bowed, even the Malkavian stood, but appeared lost. The Countess walked across the dance area and spun as she passed over the lit dance floor, she was a vision to behold all decked out in diamond's and silk. Thane stood as she stopped before the table, he immediately pulled out a chair for her, she sat down crossing her long leg's. As he sat, he smiled. She stopped smiling as she took a closer look at him. "I've seen that smile before; you did it when you broke into the New York Museum of Fine Art and stole the Picasso you just haddddd to havvve." Thane slowly stopped smiling and stood, he knew just the right thing to take her mind off questioning him. "Let's dance!" He held out his hand to her, she placed her's in his. The Countess stood and looked at him, then dismissed the thought for now, She smiled at the chance to dance. The song was slow and she preferred to dance fast, but it was a good chance to relax. She slid her arms over his shoulders and flipped her long hair back over her shoulder to expose her neck. Thane could smell the scent of her hair, the jasmine and vanilla was intoxicating. He leaned down and kissed her neck softly, tasting the skin. He let out a low growl as he lightly slid a fang along the skin. She gasped as he teased her, "Stop that, I want to dance". The slow song ended and a salsa song took its place. The Gangrel Primogen Maxis stood and slid his arms around a tall raven haired biker chick. She wore fish net and leather and looked at him with loving eyes. Thane could smell her essence. She was a mortal, a ghoul, a favorite of Maxis. The four danced to the fast beat. The Countess swayed her hips to the beat, she straddled Thane's leg and slid up running her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes from the feeling and almost fell. The ghoul swung a leg in the air and put her ankle on Maxis' shoulder, in a full split; she leaned in and kissed him. Thane spun the Countess around and slid his hands around her waist. Their hip's swayed together to the beat of the song, he ground his hips into her, running his hands over her body. She turned and slid both arm's over his shoulder''s and placed her lip's at his neck, then ran the tip of her nose up to his ear, she teased his earlobe, Thane gasped and held her close, they continued to dance, she gave a low throaty chuckle, she got him back for teasing her. Maxis stepped quickly back, his ghoul still in a split, dropped to the floor. She quickly brought both legs together and sprang in the air into his arms. Thane swayed his hips as the Countess moved close to him; she grabbed the side of his trousers and pulled him close. Her eyes and his looking deeply into each other. He smiled as she slid the tip of her tongue out and licked her lips. Thane growled and exposed his fangs, he moved to her neck, but stopped as she spoke. "You will resist tasting me M'Lord." Thane used his willpower and retracted his fangs. "It's not easy; you are a temptress." She smiled. "I am a temptress, that is true, all the better to lure the unsuspecting into my embrace." They continued to move to the sexy salsa beat enjoying the dance.

Thane stopped as did she as the song ended, they were making their way back to the table when he looked at her and spoke to her mind. Since they where only inches apart, no one could listen. "I have a problem Countess; I sort of blew up a plane and rescued a woman and her child." The Countess stopped for a moment, she wanted to speak but continued to the table and sat down, waited for him to sit and then leaned toward's him, her gaze was upon his. "You what!" She hissed in her mind. Thane leaned close and continued to mind speak with her. "I sort of used Gangrel explosives to blow up a military aircraft and rescue a female vampire and I believe her child." The Countess had a look of curiosity. "A female vampire, what clan?" Thane looked around to insure no one was near enough to listen into their thoughts. "A Nos and a Nos child." The Countess made a grimace at the mention of Nosferatu. "I don't care for them, they smell horrible. And how did you come to know of this aircraft?" Thane finished his wyne and continued. "I have a …spy…in the CIA headquarters, and she told me of this aircraft. I blew it open and grabbed the coffin and jumped." The Countess eyebrows rose. "You jumped out of an aircraft and teleported with the coffin?" Thane rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yes and the teleport spell didn't work, dumb witch, I had to teleport myself and you know I only know telekinetic, not teleport. I ended up over my home and nearly crashed into my new conservatory!" The Countess looked angry; she poked him in the shoulder. "What dumb witch!" Thane looked at the mar in his suit. "Hey mind the suit please, her name is Dragon Lady." The Countess brought her hand to her face in frustration then lowered it. "Let me get this straight...there was a Nosferatu woman and chyld? On a plane, which you destroyed and rescued them? And there is a witch involved?" Thane smiled wide. "Yes, a bug at the CIA headquarters told me of the plane." The Countess stood and smacked Thane on the top of his head. Thane yelled in surprise. "Hey what was that for!" Countess Duskie put her hands on her hips. "You should have told me your plans!"

The Countess kicked Thane in the shin. To any on looker's it appeared that they were having one of their usual tiff's, which was nothing out of the ordinary "By the way, Dragon Lady is my cousin!" Thane screamed in pain and rubbed his leg he spoke in appeasement. "A fine woman, beautiful, a credit to her talent." Countess Duskie yelled and kicked him again. "You said she was dumb!" Thane yelled again and grabbed his leg and fell off the chair and to the floor in pain. The Gangrel Primogen looked and laughed. "My lord, you need lessons on how to handle women, if so I will teach you the art of wenching." Thane stood and straightened his suit. "I need no lessons Maxis; all I need is to learn to avoid attack." The Countess smiled an innocent smile. Maxis walked towards her. "You see Thane you need to put such a woman in her place, to show her who is in charge." At the moment he stopped near her, the Countess pulled an ornate silver dagger from her glove and quickly slid it between Seth's legs. "You mind your own business Maxis" The Gangrel froze. "And as you can see Thane, she is in charge." Thane laughed loudly, it was the first time he had met the Gangrel and he liked him. The Countess lowered the blade and smiled. "That's the first thing you have said tonight of intelligence Maxis." The mortal woman who accompanied Seth smiled and grabbed the Gangrel. "He is just a pussycat really, don't let him fool you." She purred as she carressed Maxis, he smiled and downed a mug of blood. "This is my wench Tonia, she is all mouth and give, which means she uses her mouth well and gives me what I want." Thane smiled as did the Countess. Thane was about to say something when it hit him. The smell, the odor, it was something akin to ammonia. He looked around slowly, and noticed the Ventrue Primogen was also looking around. Thane could feel the energy of the magic taking place around them, and he couldn't locate it. Maxis saw Thane and became concerned. "Thane what, you are angered by my comment?" Thane looked at him, then at Romeo and Charlemagne. "On guard, a teleport door is opening and it is a big one!" The Ventrue protector Carlos grabbed the Primogen and vanished from sight. The other protector Terminus vanished as well. Thane moved quickly to the Countess but was stopped short as a metal sphere dropped from the rafters above. It bounced and began to glow. He had no time to react; the sphere exploded throwing him backwards across the room and over the bar. Above soldiers dropped a dozen at a time, mortal soldiers. Maxis caught one soldier in each hand and smashed them together, their bodies crunched as they died instantly. Romeo drew his Katana and cut one after another in half or dismembered arms. Thane stood up and knocked a bottle from the bar; he caught it with his foot and flipped it back to his hand. "Good goddess, I nearly broke an import!" Charlemagne spun on his heels and faced one soldier after another killing them instantly before they could land on their feet.

Thane jumped the bar and backhanded a soldier breaking its neck. Another opened fire with an M-16 machine gun blasting holes in Thane and Romeo. Thane looked at his torso as it healed almost instantly. "You son of a bitch, you ruined my suit!" He went to attack but Romeo grabbed the machine gun and smashed the soldier in the face. "Thank you Romeo." The Toreador protector bowed with a smile. The Countess stood calmly and looked at two soldiers as they each leveled M-60 heavy machine guns. "I was having a good night until this happened, but now you have angered me." Both opened fire with 7.62 tracer rounds. The white phosphorus rounds ricocheted off a personal shield the Countess had and the club lit up with blazing white hot bullets which where killing mortals and immortals alike. Small fires began to ignite everywhere as the burning slugs embedded all around the club. She casually reached out and took both weapons from them. With precision, she removed the yoke pin's and both weapons dropped to the floor in pieces. The soldiers ran screaming, into the attack of the Malkavian Primogen who round house kicked each in the neck killing them both. Thane looked about, no matter how many they killed, more followed.

He couldn't figure out why they where attacking and how they could teleport. The Brujah Primogen and his protectors where killing soldiers faster then any in the club. As they landed, the Brujah where on them ripping them apart. Thane saw more drop and estimated where the teleport door was. He needed a grenade and didn't have one. He reached behind the bar and fished out a bottle of Cognac to use as a Molotov. As he did, he saw something drop from the rafters. A gold ring the size of a tiara, and it was dropping towards the Countess. He ran towards her but was tackled by several soldiers. The ring landed on her head and she turned and looked at Thane, a look of astonishment on her face. He abruptly stood and tossed soldiers in the air. He again moved to the Countess, who was staggering, she reached for a table to steady herself. Thane yelled at the protectors. "ROMEO, CHARLEMAGNE, THE COUNTESS IS IN DANGER!" Romeo grabbed a soldier and swung it in a circle hitting other soldiers. Charlemagne ran towards her but was hit by a soldier jumping from a rafter. Thane again was drove to the floor by several soldiers. He watched as she fell to the floor, she was in pain. A soldier dropped from above her and began to recite a spell, in his hand a scroll. Thane knew they where trying to teleport her away. He screamed in anger and began to rip soldier's arms off, heads from their bodies. Blood squirted in all directions as Thane and the protectors worked their way to the Countess.

Thane grabbed a pistol from the floor and shot several soldiers, and then he shot the soldier in the head that was above the Countess. Again several soldiers dropped on him and the other protectors. Thane fell to the floor and wrestled his hands free. Reaching to his wrist, he removed his Rolex 036 and slid it to the Countess. It slid across the dance floor and into her hands. With pain on her face, she put the watch on and slid it up her arm out of sight. Thane screamed in anger and punched a soldier in the face, his hand exited out the back of the attackers head. Pulling his bloody arm free he moved again to the Countess only to see a woman in a black dress descend from the rafters slowly. He stopped a moment as she smiled and raised her hand in a somatic gesture. Thane had seen the move before and braced for the impact. She opened her hand and a blast of telekinetic energy hit Thane hurling him across the room and through a wall. The female attacker swung her hand with grace and did the same to each protector and Maxis. Each flew against walls or through doors. Roman recovered almost immediately. Tonia had moved out of sight of the woman and swung a katana she had found lying on the floor and tried to hit the woman in black. Roman saw her and screamed. TANIA noooo!" The woman caught the blade in her hand easily and pulled the sword from the mortal. With her hand, she stabbed her fingers into Tonia's chest and ripped out her heart. The black haired ghoul gurgled blood from her mouth and dropped dead. Maxis growled and began to kill anything in his path. Soldiers screamed and ran as he grabbed them and tore them apart. The woman in black knelt and touched the Countess, and both vanished. Thane crawled through the hole he had made in the wall. He looked at Romeo and Charlemagne. They had failed.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Confinement 

Thane staggered back into the club covered in dust, debris and blood, his arm was broken and he had a skull fracture. He yelled as he forced the arm back into place with a gut wrenching crack, he looked around the room as he flexed his arm amazed at the destruction, the dead kindred and mortal alike.

The soldiers had stopped dropping the moment the Countess was taken, the live one's had fled leaving behind any survivors. Romeo stood where she had been before the awful kidnapping; he looked at Thane in sadness. "She's gone." Thane heaved a long sigh. "No need to look so glum Romeo, she isn't destroyed…yet."

Charlemagne swung his head and looked at Thane with a look of surprise. "You talk so calmly for a kindred clansman who just lost his friend M'lord." Roman sat on the floor holding Tonia in his arms, his face twisted in agony bemoaning his loss. Thane looked at him, he was crying blood tears that fell on Tonia's chalk white face, he was about to speak to him when Parker Carlton, the Brujah Primogen stepped over several bodies yelling with a hateful glare at him his fists clenched tight as he stalked towards the Toreador.

"They where after your Primogen, yours, you brought this down on us. I think the Masquerade, the very rule we exist by, has been broken by you and your kind Toreador." Thane looked at the Primogen in anger as he faced him. "I will hold my tongue due to your place and position. But off the record…off the record, watch your mouth you little snow haired gnome, it's our Primogen that was taken not yours, so shut your mouth before I shut it for you!"

The guards of the Brujah Primogen moved towards Thane. Romeo and Charlemagne also moved towards the Toreador for his protection, swords ready. Carlton stopped his guards as he regarded Thane. "You're aware I can have you executed for comments like that? So if I where you I'd change my attitude." Thane smiled an evil grin and taunted the Brujah Primogen, his manner relaxed now.

"I do my own killing; I do not need anyone to do it for me as the Primogen seem too. But…you can always try." Carlton realized Thane could care less about his position and had no fear of any threat of execution, he shook his head, maybe the events had unhinged the Toreadors mind, he made a dismissing gesture to Thane and walked away, his guards following. Thane rubbed his chest with a grimace where the energy blast had hit then lowered his hand. "Telekinetic energy wave, powerful one at that, must have been a Tremere."

Roman looked down at Tania and wiped tears from his face. He reached into her pocket and removed a silver chain with a glass vial on it. Thane saw the amulet. "A bloodlit, I have one of those, you do not see many anymore, a sign of the times, no one will blood bond anymore." Roman opened the vial and filled it with Tonia's blood. He then put the necklace on his neck carefully placed Tonia on the floor. "I want that bitch, the one in the dress, I don't care what the fuck clan she is, she is mine." Thane walked towards the exit brushing himself off, the protectors close behind. "Roman, I will be more then happy to give her to you as soon as I find her, until then we must leave."

Carlton smirked as Thane walked past him. "Leave, without your Countess?" Thane looked eye to eye at Carlton and smiled motioning to the protectors to exit. "I lost my watch, it's an air loom, and I need to find it." He looked down and saw a wounded soldier. "But I think a simple interrogation is in order." Thane reached down and grabbed a soldier with sergeant stripes on his shirt. The sergeant groaned, shook his head and growled at Thane. "Get your hands off me you fucking ghoul!" Thane smiled and wrenched the man to the air. "We need to talk, but in a better atmosphere, yes I know exactly the right place and I can teleport easily." Thane and the soldier began to fade; the Toreador Lord looked at Romeo just before he disappeared. "Go to my villa, and I will return shortly." At that, he and the soldier vanished leaving the others to deal with the mess.

Jean Carter arrived at the hotel. She walked to the front desk and with a smile handed the clerk both cards the stranger had given her. He looked at them curiously, "Pardon me a moment," and stepped back to an office door and vanished from sight. She had been treated like royalty from the moment she arrived at the airport. A private jumbo jet, drinks, food, she was delightfully dumbfounded. The clerk walked back in with a small black leather folder. He handed it to her and smiled. "Here is all you will need Madam." She took it from him. "Thank you" she replied.

He then motioned to the elevator. She turned and was astounded at the site that met her eyes. Standing at it with her bags was a large shirtless Jamaican man in tight shorts. Jean could not take her eyes off the huge bulge at his crotch. The desk clerk cleared his throat. "Madam, he is part of the room, er yours for the duration of your stay." Jean turned looking stunned, then looked back at the man. She smiled a large grin then turned her attention back to the man with her bags and walked to the elevator. She opened the folder she carried and leaned it to the side. A Platinum Visa card dropped out into her hand with her name on it. "I don't know who this Thane is and really at the moment I don't care." Smiling she put the card back into the folder then stepped onto the elevator with her companion. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the amazing fun she was about to have.

The Countess slowly awoke, her sight blurred and her body ached terrible. She sat up and shook her hands which where numb and felt the ring sitting on her head. She reached up and grabbed it pulling only to realize it was stuck tight. She let out a few curses as she looked around at her new surroundings, she saw she was in a cell, the walls made of large stone, the front made of bars. Her balance was unsteady but she managed to grab the bars for support as she pulled herself to her feet.

Slowly she began to regain her composure and pulled the bars with all her might, she was puzzled as to why she couldn't budge them. The metal rods remained unbent no matter what force she used, she was angry and beginning to feel frightened, a feeling she hadn't experienced in ages, this had never happened. Her powers had never failed her since she had been taken as kindred. She saw a shadow across from her, realizing it was her own, and she gasped in terror.

Over her shoulder was a small window that had been cut into the wall and outside the sun was beginning to rise. In horror and desperation she spun and looked the cell over for some protection. Her terror filled gaze found a blanket that was folded in a corner and she quickly lunged for it. As she touched it, the blanket slid across the floor away from her, she cursed.

In desperation she grabbed at it again, and again the blanket moved away. Her terror was beginning to take her within its grasp, this time she snatched at the blanket as fast as she could, but it was mysteriously pulled from her grasp and flew across the room well out of reach through the bars. She turned and saw the sun crest the ocean edge. She screamed in terror and fell to the floor; she scrambled to a corner trying to make herself into the smallest possible target for the evil sun rays that crept towards her unwilling body. She shook uncontrollably as her hands covered her beautiful face continually screaming, "NO NO NOooooo!"

McClatchy stormed into Colonel Usher's office to find her sitting at her desk calmly reading a report. "What the fuck is going on, I gave you a C-5 and air support for a supposed secret ops and now I have to deal with the Department of the Air Force to explain the damn fucking cargo plane going tits up in the hills!" Usher glanced over the report and nonchalantly smiled.

"Martin, I know I am not always to the point with you but the operation was Black stuff you know the crap that if you knew about it and got caught it could cost you your career stuff." McClatchy calmed down and sat in a chair; his fingers fumbled for a cigarette and lit it. "You need to let me get involved with your actions; I don't mind a little dark stuff, well as long as it doesn't get to dark." Usher laughed and stood looking at McClatchy. "This is darker then you could ever imagine, and when it's completed, you will be amazed."

McClatchy took a long drag and exhaled. "So what is it, chemical war stuff, bioagents, you know that crap is way illegal, even the CIA can't cover that stuff up." Usher dropped the report on the desk and leaned back in her chair. "It's a weapon like no other you could imagine, if successful, we may be able to produce a totally invulnerable soldier." Martin sat up, his mouth agape. "And you have seen this, this thing you're talking about?" Usher smiled a broad grin. "Yes, I have seen it first hand, I still can't go into detail but when completed, it will amaze everyone." McClatchy stood and walked towards the door dropping the smoke in an ashtray. "Keep me advised, I want to get some sort of report on your progress. As his hand rested on the doorknob he turned his head and looked at her. I am going to the hospital, the First Lady is not expected to live long, and…she is very important to me." Usher nodded as McClatchy left and she sat back in thought, her fingers laced behind her head. "Yes Martin, when I am done, you and all the others will be amazed, and will be under my control."

The Countess was still screaming at the top of her voice as the first rays of the sun struck her body, she squirmed and moved to avoid them but it was no use. She waited for the burn, the feeling of her skin on fire, but it didn't happen. She uncovered her face and stood slowly while looking as the sun caressed her arms. She raised her face looking outside as the sun's ray's crept up her body, she closed her eyes and felt the warmth, felt the heat, the feeling she had not had in centuries, there was a sense of astonishment on her face.

Suddenly she heard laughter behind her causing her to spin on a heel to see the blanket she had tried to grab floating in the air. It's dropped and a man who had been in obfuscated became visible. "I had to bite my tongue not to crack up at your screaming it was delicious, so priceless." The Countess recognized the Tremere Primogen Tarsus Vonday. Her eyes narrowed in vexation. "Your aware Tarsus that what you have done to me will cause a war between our clans, are you willing to take that risk?"

Both hands rested on her hips as she watched Vonday drop the blanket and smile a very smug smile. "Countess, my prince is unaware of our actions, and when we are done, he, you and the other clans will be pawns to us." The Countess growled as she grabbed the bars and attempted to bend them again. Vonday laughed and struck out slapping the Countess in the face. The strike knocked her backwards causing her to land on her rear. "How dare you strike me Vonday, you will pay for that slight!" "Stay down wench, you have no strength to bend these, the Restraining Ring on your empty head insures that."

Countess Duskie slowly stood a look of rage on her face, her hands clenched into fists, her eyes narrowing again as she moved closer to the bars but staying out of his reach. "No matter what this thing on my head does, I will rip you apart with immense pleasure, mind my words Vonday, I will." Vonday turned and sat in a nearby chair. "Do you know why you're here? Come on your curious, say it bitch."

The Countess stepped to the bars again; her hands gripped them and pulled with all her might but to no avail, she growled in frustration and sent him an evil glare. "That's Miz Bitch to you, you smug asshole." Vonday crossed his legs and removed a small flask from his pocket. "You see we want the Cylinder of Cain." The Countess stood very still at the mention of the cylinder; she gave him a slow smile, her hands dropped from the bars. She didn't answer his taunt, she wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction.

She knew the cylinder in the vault of the Toreador clan located at the Masquerade Ball. She remembered the story of how Cain the progenitor of all the vampires had placed a vile of his blood in an ornate gold cylinder. The memory of the wars that had followed for its possession flowed though her mind. When the clans had decided to make a duplicate of the cylinder for each clan, thus no clan would know if they had a duplicate or the original. She gave him a level look.

"Vonday, first off, it most likely is the wrong cylinder and I would never give you the combination for the Toreador safe anyway, nothing you could do to me would make me divulge that secret." Tarsus stood and drank a long draw off the flask and pointed it at her. "You are so easily read; Usher has already looked into your mind and took the combination, and also perused your entire existence. She is keeping what she has learned a secret, but when you're gone and we have the cylinder, she says she will write your memories down so we can read and enjoy your…life."

The Countess staggered slightly at this revelation, at what had happened, her mind had been raped, she started to cry. Vonday was giddy at her reaction, he laughed at her plight. "In a short while, you will be destroyed and turned over to the CIA and the Leopold Society for study. You see Countess; you're going to be a frog on a slab, cut open to see what makes you tick. The CIA wants the secret of vampirism, and the Leopold Society just wants you gone." Vonday smirked at her before he turned and walked out slamming the large door as he did. The echo vibrated though her shocked body, as sobs racked her body she noticed they were clear tears which she caught in her hand, she looked at them wondering how in hell all this happened and no one had a clue that there was such a plan. She shook herself and the rage returned, she wiped the tears off her hands. There was only one solution to this problem. Reaching up under her sleeve, she slid the Rolex down to her wrist. On its side, she pressed the GPS tab; the watch beeped and began to send the signal.

The soldier was groggy but realized he was cold and had a bag on his head. Struggling, he also realized he was bound and seemed to be hanging from the back of his gun belt. A hand grabbed the bag top and it was pulled free. The soldier screamed in horror as he looked around and saw he was being held by Thane off the side of the Eiffel Tower. Thane stood sideways on the point of the tower looking down at the street. "Isn't it beautiful, the first time I saw it was in 1862, it was as beautiful then as it is now." The soldier struggled and turned his head looking at the Toreador smoking a cigar. "You're nuts! You're fucking crazy!"

Thane smiled with the cigar gripped between his teeth. "Nuts, crazy, its all semantics, yes, yes I am a bit…off but in a good way. Now let's get to this shall we?" Thane shook the soldier back and forth roughly. "Why did you take my friend and where?" The soldier screamed in anger, shaking trying to break his bounds. "I aint telling you shit asshole, I didn't get this rank by pussin out, fuck you!" Thane shook his head making cigar ash drop and vanish in the wind. "Just remember Sergeant, its not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop."

He shook the soldier roughly again. "Come on, it's getting late and I would love someone to, eat, a nice French woman would go down so sweet, maybe I will even let you live and give you money for the information!" The Sergeant looked around as he dangled in the air and began to cry. "We where told to make as much of a mess as possible, kill everyone, that way someone could grab that Countess chic. A woman named Usher is in charge, she is with the CIA, and she has a lot of government pull.

Please…don't kill me!" Thane looked to the stars in thought; he let the cigar drop from his teeth and watched it fall before he looked at the soldier again. "Anything else?" The Sergeant shook his head. "No, we where just told to create a diversion, but they told us you would die, they didn't tell us you where…well" His voice trailed off. Thane smiled as he regarded the Sergeant. "Un-dead, vampires, ghouls, its all Hollywood. " As Thane was talking, his cell phone chirped the funeral dirge. He let the soldier go and retrieved it from his coat, so absorbed with the phone, he didn't hear the soldier fall screaming. Thane opened the phone and examined the screen. On it was a world map, which quickly changed to a map of Italy. The phone chirped and the map changed to a small island. "Mykhonas, wow, well she is at least in a party town!"

The Toreador Lord swung under a girder and landed on his feet. It dawned on him he had dropped the soldier, he shrugged, wasn't that a shame, he smiled with a chuckle. He took the elevator down and casually walked into the square below. As he walked, he saw people crowding around a body on the street. He walked past and spoke to a beautiful woman in a mini skirt and halter who was standing on the outskirts of the gathering crowd, he leaned close to her and whispered before looking into her eyes as she turned towards him. "Must be an American, only they would wear military wear in the summer, the woman smiled and was caught by his gaze. Let me take you from this horrible sight."

Roman paced in Thane's villa impatiently. The kindred protectors had busied themselves with cleaning weapons and blades, now it was a waiting game until Thane made his appearance. Phaedra walked about sipping a blood wyne and nervously fiddling with a wedding ring she wore. She stopped as a mild glow began to form in front of her and Thane appeared wiping his lips with a small silk handkerchief. Roman stood quickly and yelled, the countenance on his face fearsome to behold. "So where the fuck is this woman in black? And where the hell have you been?" Thane smiled and bowed slightly to Roman. "Its good to see you too Roman, she is located on the island of Mykohnas, off the coast of Italy." All in the room looked at Thane with curiosity. "I had a bad habit of leaving my Rolex at…well…ladies homes and it is an air loom so the Countess had a GPS placed in it. That way I could remember where. Or with whom I left it. She is wearing it as we speak and she is off the coast of Italy." He explained.

Romeo touched his katana and smiled revealing his fang tips. "So we are off to Italy to kill a whole lot of soldiers and get her back…yes?" Thane smiled also, he removed his torn dirty coat and dropped it behind him. The coat never hit the floor a servant caught it and hung it up. "Yes we are going, but she is in a castle and the woman we met in the fight has very powerful magic. Plus the fact she has an army at her disposal, while it's true they may be mortal, I do not think they will be armed with guns next time, they will be better armed to take us on if we were to appear there." Roman cracked his knuckles and his neck.

"You get me there, I will deal with anything, but the bitch that killed my beloved Tonia is mine." Charlemagne and Romeo began to arm themselves; Phaedra grabbed a katana and hooked it to her belt. Thane was about to tell her no, but she was as effective as any soldier. "Kindred protectors, could you please escort Roman to the Dragon lady's home, she will wish to attend and if I think I know what Roman wants to do, he will need to speak to her." Roman had a large grin on his face as they left.

The Countess sat on the small bunk near tears again; she had never felt so helpless in her unlife. She glanced at the watch with worried eyes it would lose its battery life soon, plus she was not sure if it even worked. She looked up from the watch as she heard faint voices, she stood up and gripped the bars again, she closed her eyes, concentrated and listened. Her auspix still worked to her surprise and she could hear different conversations through out the castle. Most where complaints from soldiers about the lousy pay and ill treatment. A woman's voice caused her to zone in on it and listen; her voice was cold and cunning. "When the sun sets, we will destroy the Countess, I want it filmed and sent to the Toreador Prince as we are taking the Cylinder of Cain into our possession. Vonday, you're sure the Toreador cylinder is the correct one?" He nodded. "Yes my mistress, it is, my magic can not fail, it is the true cylinder." A voice foreign spoke, it was low, almost a whisper. "Thane will be removed in a matter of hours, my best man is on it, he will deal with this poser." The female laughed loudly then it turned into a slow giggle before stopping all together.

"With Thane out of the way and the Countess destroyed, we will posses the blood of Cain, you Leopold's will have completed the destruction of several high prominent vampires, and we will hand over the Countess remains to the CIA for study, a lot of good that will do, there wont be much left of her for them." The woman snorted in disdain. The Countess closed her eyes and stopped the voices; she gripped the bars tight enough to draw blood, she began shaking again much to her dismay.

Thane walked from the main door of his villa towards his Bentley which he heard start. The car glowed a second then exploded, the concussion smashed Thane backwards through his door. He slid to his central stairwell in a sitting position amid debris. Shaking his head he hopped to his feet; and stepped over the wood debris of his door and looked at his car. "God damn it, arghhhhhh, what the hell! Fucking assholes! My freaking car!" In the distance he saw some mud move by his rose garden. With care, he walked to the garden, which was a gift from a long destroyed ex wife.

"Phaedra, get up, just look at what your doing to my garden, you know that was a gift from…from…oh hell what's her name. Lord what do I pay you for?" The mud moved and his valet sat up covered in earth, the remote start still in her hand, mud sliding off her head, she looked at him though mud caked eyes. "Boss, what happened? I was just starting the car and …boom." "What do you think happened, they tried to destroy me, but all they got was my precious car!" Phaedra staggered to her feet, stood then fell again. "I'm ok by the way." Thane said.

Phaedra finally stood and began to sink to her knees in the mud; she swiped mud from her face. Thane looked at her. "How many more Bentleys do I have?" Phaedra thought for a moment. "Ten, but one is pink, you know that gift from your eighth wife." Thane turned from her and walked towards the villa. "Get me another, and not the pink one!" Phaedra called out. "Help me out of this." Thane stopped and turned on a heel giving her a shocked look. "Good lord Phaedra, are you kidding, I'm in my best Italian shoes."

He glanced at his shoes and sighed in disgust. With that he walked towards the now destroyed door. As he began to step over the debris, as he passed by a tree near the door he heard Tat speak. "My lord, there is a man hiding in the trees, he is watching you." Thane slowly turned and using auspix, he listened to the man's heartbeat. He looked carefully and finally located him.

With a great leap, the Toreador jumped into the darkness and landed slowly and quietly a short distance behind the voyeur and spoke. "Are you the feckless imp that put a bomb on my car?" The man spun and opened fire with an odd looking machine gun, the slugs passing around Thane who was moving out of the way of each. With a hand raised, Thane grabbed the individual with a telekinetic wave. The attacker froze, his eyes agape, he screamed. Thane brought his hand up and the attacker rose from the ground. "You must be a member of the Society of Leopold; I recognize the standard issue holy water machine gun. And you are using a very cheap and vulgar Polish cologne that is sold just outside Krakow, the headquarters of your dumb organization. Any worthwhile opponent would have guessed I use remote starts for my autos. Do you know what its like to keep track of over two hundred sets of keys?"

The attacker struggled against the energy but could not move. Thane looked at the machine gun and it disassembled in the Leopold agents hands. "I have studied that weapon for years; you think such a group as yours would have developed a better one." The agent spit at Thane, he laughed and continued to struggle. Thane looked at the spit on his suit and shook his head. "Thank the goddesses that Giorgio was kind to me this month." The Toreador Lord turned and walked through the forest towards Dragon Ladies home, the Leopold agent followed floating in the air. As he walked, he called out. "Here kitty kitty, here kitty kitty!"

The Countess stood eyes closed, her skin still feeling the sun as it slowly set. The sound of the door opening took her from her thoughts. She turned to see a woman of about the mortal age of thirty-five, black hair and a garish black silk dress. The woman studied her, looking at her closely. "Your past is quite interesting, almost a library of knowledge, information that many will pay for." The Countess remained calm, her demeanor never faltered.

"You must be Usher, the Tremere Vonday spoke of, when the time comes, I will enjoy ripping that tongue out of your mouth." Usher smiled a broad evil grin. "In a matter of hours, you will be"…she shrugged..."no more, and I will have the essence of Cain and with that, the world." Duskie smiled and sat on her bunk, crossing her long legs, she leaned back on her hands as she eyed the woman coolly. "All of this, just for the Toreador cylinder, you could have stole it and be done with it." Usher tilted her head slightly, "It has taken me twelve years to get as far as I am in the CIA, and a lot of headaches dealing with the Leopold's.

They developed the ring that resides on your head; it's for use with slave vampires they capture, to study. They gave me the secret to its construction, I gave them…you. They have this redundant ritual to perform when they destroy you; it gains them stature in their ranks to destroy someone so powerful." The Countess lost her control a moment, she was aware that she was sweating, a trait she had never had since the night she was embraced, the ring caused this as well she thought, her eyes never left the woman. Usher continued. "I have several key people in the mortal government in my palm and those in my way…well, are destine for removal.

The mortal soldiers are just a reward from a key figure high in the government. They are expendable, but who isn't." Usher turned and opened the door, she said over her shoulder. "You have one hour of existence left, by all means, enjoy it. While the Leopold's deal with you, I will be at the Grand Masquerade. I will return in a while to prepare you, good bye." She stepped though the door and closed it. The Countess, slowly turned and began to cry, she could smell rot, smell death and her own fear.

Thane walked into Dragon ladies home, the kindred protectors and Phaedra stood in the middle of the main room dressed in black combat gear. Dragon Lady tossed a shoulder bag on her arm and smiled in greeting at Thane. "We are ready anytime you are M'lord." The Toreador joined the group changing into his black flight suit as he moved. Thane looked around for Roman. "Where is old blood and guts, thought he would be with us." Dragon left the group and walked towards the door, "He will join us later, its time to leave. I sense the Countess is frightened, I have never felt this from her, and she may not have much time."

Usher walked into the cell room. The Countess stood proud her hands cupped in front of her. Usher brought a hand up and the Countess gasped and became unconscious. Her body floated a moment then tilted to a prone position. The Tremere walked towards a large chamber adjacent to the cell room. The Countess floated behind her. In the room, two Leopold agents stood in ornate robes and hats; one had an axe in his hand. The room was darkly lit only by only one candle which smoked and filled the room with incense. Usher motioned her fingers and the Countess lowered on to a dais.

She turned to Vonday and began to walk from the room when she suddenly sensed something, felt the wave of energy. She stopped and turned her head. "Intruders teleporting to the beach!" She grabbed Vonday and they both ran to the castle entrance. As they cleared the portcullis, hundreds of soldiers followed them, each armed with a small axe. Usher watched as five figures appeared on the stone walkway. "Well, well, it seems we have visitors, uninvited guests are such a bother."

Thane, Dragon Lady the kindred protectors and Phaedra slowly walked towards the Tremere's and their army. Thane smiled as he saw Usher, his gaze went to Vonday. "Ah yes, Vonday…and this must be your pet wench." Usher glared at Thane, energy began to form in her hand unseen by all. She focused on Dragon lady. "Who is this Thane…your mother?" Dragon Lady didn't falter her smile bright and cheerful. "When I am through with you dear Tremere, you will wish you had stayed in your coffin." Vonday spun holding his arms outward. "As you five can see, we have an army, an army now trained on how to destroy you." Dragon Lady laughed, she held one hand up, and slowly snapped her fingers. Hundreds of Gangrel warlords appeared, Roman Maxis in full combat armor stood, war hammer in hand.

Thane grinned and slowly drew a Katana as he gave a snide glare at Usher. "The Countess, return her while I am still in the mood to let you." He waved his sword at her. Usher glared at the uninvited party and her soldiers. She and Vonday ran back to the castle. "RIP THEM UP!" The mortal soldiers ran screaming at the Gangrel soldiers. Thane and Romeo ran after Usher and Vonday, the Gangrel, Charlemagne and Dragon lady dealt with the soldiers. In the chamber, Leopold agents continued to chant, their prayers building in momentum, the axe reflected the candle light.

Phaedra spun under an axe attack and swung her katana gutting a soldier, her follow through opened the neck of another. As she spun further, she opened her mouth and caught a spray of blood. Her smile now red and dripping, she shoved the Katana into another soldier's throat. A mortal swung his axe and she ducked, the axe hitting the soldier she was attacking, beheading him. She struck out with a kick striking the soldier in the groin, her boot tip cutting into his scrotum. The soldier grabbed his privates and fell screaming. Phaedra grabbed his head and twisted snapping it.

Dragon Lady looked at several soldiers running at her screaming, she casually waved a hand and the soldiers screamed as they all flew in the air into the ocean. Charlemagne swung his Katana upward cutting a soldier in two; he blocked an attack with his forearm, a metal sound as the axe hit. A quick swing and the soldiers arm was dismembered. Charlemagne smiled at the mitheral forearm bands. Gangrel warlords ran in all directions cutting mortal soldiers apart.

Roman walked slowly through the attacks. The axes bounced off his armor with loud clangs as he grabbed soldiers and ripped them apart by hand. He held one aloft and reached up and grabbed a handful of hair. With a wrench, he separated the head from the body. A Gangrel warrior was struck in his shoulder, the axe cleaved a chunk out of him. He growled and swung his fist and struck the soldier causing the mortal to explode. The wound healed slowly, but the Gangrel smiled. "I like this Roman; this is like wading through a lake of blood!" Maxis smiled as he wiped vitae from his face. Charlemagne and Dragon Lady cleared a path through the soldiers into the castle, Roman and several warlords followed.

Thane and Romeo ran just behind the Tremere, both had weapons drawn. A soldier in body armor popped out of a door and opened fire on the Toreadors. Romeo swung the Katana so fast it was impossible to follow; He hit and deflected each round back at the soldier. The shooter shook as the rounds hit his face and neck. Thane shoved the corpse aside and kicked in a door the Tremere had just entered. Inside Thane had just a moment to react as Usher hurled another energy bolt. The blast missed each vampire and smashed into a wall behind them. Usher grinned and swung her hand. "Its to late Thane, we are off to the Ball, and your Countess is finished!" Both Tremere vanished in a black cloud of acrid smoke. Thane peered through the smoke and recognized the Leopold robes. He and Romeo dashed with all their celerity, but it was too late. Thane watched as the axe fell, and he realized there was nothing he could do; his friend the Countess was doomed.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

The Masquerade Ball

Thane watched the axe fall and could do nothing. All his bravado and charm, all his money, all his abilities he was too late, it was over. The smile on the face of the Leopold agent beamed as the axe swung. Thane was starting to close his eyes as not to see when the axe fell upon her beautiful neck…he opened his eyes in surprise as he heard it hit metal. Thane and Romeo jumped with a start as the axe head disintegrated, pieces flew in every direction.

The Leopold agent gasped and fell backwards from the concussion, the axe handle still in his hand. Thane walked slowly in, a stunned look on his face. Romeo followed a pace behind him. He watched as the Countess slowly levitated then teetered upwards to a standing position floating in the air. Her eyes where still closed but her shape, her body was congealing, changing. Under his breath, Thane spoke, "Wow, nice trick, you have to show me sometime." Soldiers ran into the chamber and stared at the Countess. That's when Thane saw something move behind the soldiers with celerity beyond even his capability.

All the soldiers suddenly gasped, froze and literally fell apart. Blood squirted everywhere as their limbs where cut clean from an attacker moving faster then light itself. Thane looked as the Countess became bright enough that he had to shield his eyes. Roman, Phaedra and Charlemagne ran in and stopped suddenly at the brightness blinding them they shielded their eyes. The Toreador Lord watched as the light slowly ebbed, and then suddenly the Countess was gone, in her place was a man in armor, a huge man he stood at least seven foot tall. The armored man stood in full plate armor with a bastard sword in his left hand. The Leopold agents turned to run but something grabbed them from behind and lifted them into the air. A loud clang echoed as the armored man dropped the bastard sword to the floor and reached for the connectors holding his helm on.

Thane watched as the helm was removed and he recognized Prince Lofton, Nosferatu leader who he remembered hated Toreador's. Behind the Leopold agents, Nosferatu guards held the vampire killers in the air. Thane dropped to one knee and looked downward as proper etiquette. The others in the room followed suit, all but Roman. He couldn't due to his armor, he nodded to the Prince.

He smiled at those those knelt knowing men in armor where not only exempt, but the blood all over him was a sign of honor to the Prince anyway. Lofton looked down at Thane and his grin grew so wide, saliva dripped to the dais. "Toreador, you know a proper action, that's good, very good. I have never liked your kind, not at all…until now." The Prince half turned and motioned to a dark corner where a small girl slowly walked into the candle light. Thane recognized her from the cylinder he had taken from the plane. She walked to the Prince and took one of his immense hands and held it. The Prince turned back to the other's as he held the girl's small hand.

Lofton motioned for Thane to stand and picked up the child into his massive arms. "This is my daughter Alianna, my only child…I owe you thanks Toreador, and I do not give it…easily."

Thane knew more about Nosferatu than the Prince was aware of, he knew of the tradition of their clan was to never show weakness, or to show gratitude. He would do his best to make it easier on Lofton by quoting an old Nosferatu poem. "I want no such frivolity, there has been much death and blood letting; it has been a good day." The Prince looked at Thane a slightly surprised look and completed the phrase. "Yes it has, no day can be better." With a wide swing, Lofton pointed to a dark corner.

A Nosferatu guard appeared carrying the Countess. He walked to Romeo and carefully handed her to him, bowed and moved back to the darkness. Prince Lofton reached over and removed the ring from her head. With a squeeze, it popped into gold dust which glittered to the floor. The Prince looked at Thane with a tilted head. "Debt repaid Toreador, our business is completed."

The Toreador Lord bowed to the Prince and smiled to the young girl. Lofton walked to a dark corner with his daughter walking behind still wearing the lace dress Dragon Lady had dressed her in. Lofton spun suddenly and stuck his hand out to Thane, he walked to the Prince. The Toreador extended a hand, nervous of what it could be. The Prince slowly opened his massive hand, a small bottle of perfume dropped into Thanes grasp. "The dress is proper, this is not, it…has an unpleasant smell."

Thane smiled and nodded as the Prince turned and walked away. The girl ran up quickly and grabbed the perfume, smiled and curtsied and ran after her father. Thane smiled and watched as the group left, the sound of the Leopold agents screams faded as they vanished.

The Countess stirred, she opened her eyes and pushed Romeo making him put her down. She stood a moment and her knees gave a bit. Thane caught her and helped her. "You", he made a face, "smell, you need a bath and a change of clothes." The Countess narrowed her eyes and slapped Thane in the face at his insult causing him to fall, the force of the slap spun her and made her fall to the floor next to him, she sat there for a moment then realized Lord Thane was right. "My goddess, what happened, to me, I remember feeling faint then I woke up smelling like a sewer."

The group smiled and looked as Dragon Lady walked in. Thane stood and helped the Countess to her feet once more. Turning he faced Dragon putting his hands on his hips and spoke. "Why didn't you tell me she was the daughter of the Prince?" Dragon smiled and patted his shoulder. "I didn't even know if she would survive. Identifying the crest on her ring took a while but I identified it and contacted the Nosferatu." The Countess suddenly stood and looked around. "Where are Usher and Vonday?" "They said something about the Ball and that we where too late." Thane said.

The Countess brought her hand up and the Katana flew from Charlemagne's scabbard to her. "They are heading for the Toreador vault to steal the Cylinder of Essence." Thane laughed and shook his head. "That's dumb, it's most likely the wrong one and it's locked in the safe, only you have the combination." Duskie frowned, and walked toward the Toreador Lord and gave him a grave look. "They have the combination, that bitch Usher took it from my mind and I think we have the real cylinder." Thane looked at her in horror, he looked toward the floor and then at her again. "If they get the artifact, we, all of us, are history, we have to stop them."

Roman walked in dropping sections of his bloody armor. He yelled over the metal clanging. "They have a head start on you but remember, you cant teleport into the Ball, its protected by anti-magic, so you may have a chance to catch up to them." Dragon Lady laughed at Roman's comment. "The Ball isn't that well protected, I can get you both in, you see Roman, it is witches that created the protection the Ball has, it is strong, but not that strong." Thane reached down and picked up Romans Gladius.

Then he and the Countess turned and faced Dragon. She closed her eyes and suddenly brought her hand up pointing at the two. A white smoke covered them almost instantly and the vanished. "Roman walked up to her. "Me next, I want that bitch!" Dragon looked at him and shook her head. "No Roman, this is their fight." Maxis was about to yell at her but then remembered that Dragon was not a woman to be angered.

Thane appeared in the foyer of the Ball, the Countess was no where to be seen. He whispered to himself. "See, she cant teleport, she makes mistakes…no, you read the scroll wrong." He gave a slight shake to his head then a movement ahead in the central meeting area drew his attention he then moved cautiously. He raised the Gladius point and opened the heavy red velvet curtains just enough to see a shadow move.

His auspix suddenly caught the sound of something flying in the air. He ducked just as the blade of a Katana sliced the curtains above him. He grabbed the curtains as they fell and spun throwing them on Vonday. The Tremere was caught off guard; he screamed in anger and struggled as he was blinded. Thane smiled and moved out into the open area of the meeting chamber. "Vonday! It's been so long how are you? my my you look like shit in velvet."

Vonday threw the curtains off him, brought his sword up in a defensive stance, and screamed. "Mother fucker! I'm going to cut you in half, you damn poser, I can't stand Toreadors, your all a bunch of sissy art fag's, your worthless and a blight on the Camarillo's ass." Thane brought his sword up to an attack stance. "First you make idle threats then insult me, come come, you do have some brains don't you?" Vonday swung his Katana wide attempting to hit the Toreador. The attack was easily dodged by stepping back a step. Thane suddenly moved forward and stabbed Vonday in the shoulder then withdrew quickly. "That's first blood; in a short while I will bleed you dry."

The Tremere grunted in pain and stumbled backwards but brought the katana upwards knocking Thanes Gladius upward. It flipped end over end and stuck in a rafter. Vonday laughed. "Now what fancy pants, no blade, no luck." The Tremere Primogen jumped forward swinging at wildly. Thane used his celerity and jumped upward and grabbed the Gladius grip and pulled it free. Vonday looked around a moment trying to figure out where Thane had gone. He heard a noise behind him and spun on his heel swinging his sword. Thane caught the sword with his own and both drew closer to each other. The Toreador spit in his face. Vonday used his strength and hurled Thane backwards. The Toreador hit the wall and fell to the floor.

Usher slowly walked from the open safe. In her hand, the Toreador Cylinder of Essence. She looked at it with awe, raising it so she could see the small glass window, the red liquid inside. With a smile, she strode out with a feeling of invulnerability. She stepped out into a small anti-room and was smashed in the face by a fist.

The Countess shook her hand from the hit. "Get up Usher, its time for school." Usher slowly stood rubbing her jaw; a drop of blood fell from her mouth. She said in disbelieve, "You can't be here, your destroyed!" In answer the Countess spun bringing a heeled foot across Ushers face. Again the Tremere hit the floor, this time; the cylinder flew from her hands and rolled to the Toreador's feet. The Countess reached down, grabbing Usher by the hair and lifted her off her feet. "I bet this hurts like hell from someone who is supposedly... destroyed!"

She dropped to a knee throwing Usher across the room. The Tremere smashed into a glass display of paintings and fell to the floor again momentarily stunned. With a kick from her foot, the cylinder flipped into the hand of the Countess. She looked up just as she was hit by a large oak sword case. The cabinet exploded on impact knocking the Countess backwards causing her to land on the floor on her back, the cylinder rolled from her hand. Swords of all styles spun and flipped, one sticking into the floor next to the Countess neck.

Usher got away from the debris and staggered, she got her balance and walked towards the cylinder. "Remember King Minilett, your lover, how he died in your arms, his blood dripping from your hands." The Countess stood unsteady, her memory flashed back to her lover's death. She remembered his death, the pain ran though her body, she was almost lost in thought when Usher swung a sword she had picked up. Duskie bent backwards at the waist, grabbing a sword from a suit of armor. Usher swung again but met the sword of the Countess as she quickly stood.

Both women looked into each others eyes, Usher smiled. "Remember when your father died, he stood in the doorway of the hovel you lived in, the look on his face as his heart stopped, you sat there and watched!" Duskie felt the pain in her heart, the sadness welled up, she began to cry. Her tears dripped on her sleeve as she and Usher where locked together sword to sword. Looking down, she saw the tears of blood, not clear, but blood. Her head cleared and she smiled at Usher. "I remember everything you bitch; I'm going to rip that evil tongue out of your head! I will look back on this day and remember the joy in my heart, the joy of destroying you!"

With that, the Countess brought both hands upwards suddenly, pushing Usher backwards a step. Usher was stunned and lost her footing. The Countess swung her sword knocking Ushers weapon out of her hand. Usher landed on her back side, her eyes flared as she hurled a blast of energy hitting Duskie.

Vonday slowly strolled towards the supine vampire. "So big and bad, so perfect dressed, and all that and you're done for." The Tremere dropped his sword and grabbed Thane by the scruff of his shirt lifting him upwards. "It's over poser." Vonday reared back with his hand to shove it into Thanes chest. Thane looked over Vonday's shoulder and knew what he had to do.

The Toreador Lord brought both feet up and kicked with all his vampiric strength. Vonday staggered backwards and fell back sliding across the slick marble floor. Thane landed against the wall again, against his tapestry. The Tremere Primogen slid on the floor, his head ending up under the massive table. Thane smashed his elbow into the hydraulic pipe cracking it. Dirty water gushed out and the table fell flat crushing Vonday's head.

The Countess stumbled backwards. Her sight was blinded a moment until the energy dissipated. When it did, Usher had the cylinder open and smiled. "Its over bitch, I am a goddess now." She tilted the cylinder upwards and drank the red liquid. The Countess waited as Usher stood motionless, waiting, waiting for…nothing. Duskie smiled and said snidely. "Remember we do not breathe, but can you give me a heads up when you would like me to gasp in awe or something?" Usher screamed in a rage, "YOU BITCH!" She reared back and hurled a blast of energy powerful enough to crack the floors. The blast hit the Countess causing her to crash through a granite wall into the Balls kitchen.

Thane stood and fell slipping on the oil and water on the floor. He got his footing and walked to the table. Vonday's body twitched and jerked, a hand clawed at the table top making scratches in it. Thane reached down and grabbed the Tremere's foot and pulled the body free from the pulp that was its head. The body stopped moving and began to glow. In front of him down a hall, appeared Usher. Thane smiled at her and fixed his ripped shirt and tie. "Your friend here, he won't be joining you tonight."

Usher looked in horror at what was left of Vonday. She began to frenzy, her eyes bulged from her head and blue energy congealed in her palms. Thane saw a movement behind her; he smiled and looked into Ushers eyes. "Heads up." Usher spun as a cast iron skillet, thrown from the Countess, sheared her head from her shoulder's, the cylinder dropped from her lifeless hand. The pan screamed across the room and stuck into the marble wall at the Tremere Princes tapestry. The handle of the skillet stuck out in a provocative place. Usher staggered headless, she turned towards the Countess. Blue energy coursed across her body as she fell in a pile. The energy slowly died. The Countess strolled to the head, picked it up and ripped the tongue out. She looked into the sightless eyes and said. "I told you; you bitch that I would have your tongue." She tossed the head and tongue from her as the both disintegrated into ash. She brushed her hands off, bent and picked up the cylinder, straightened up and took a long look at Lord Thane.

Thane removed a broken cigar from his coat pocket and lit it on a nearby torch. "If I may say so Countess. You look like shit." Duskie walked to Lord Thane and gave him a disdainful look, both hands on her hips. "The pot calling the kettle black, you look like crap yourself." Thane grinned and looked around. "Well luckily there isn't anyone to see us, if we are careful; we can get out of here unseen." The Countess turned and walked towards the vault area. "I need to replace this, when we get through telling our Prince about this, all hell is going to break loose." Outside, Thane could see Dragon and the rest of the party arriving. He walked outside to meet them.

The Countess walked to the safe and opened it. As she walked in, she looked over her shoulder making sure she was alone. Moving the cylinder upside-down, she opened a small compartment and a glass vial slid out. The vitae inside quivered as it caught the dim candle light. The Countess placed it back and closed the compartment. Leaning forward, Duskie carefully placed the artifact back in its case, turned and left the safe locking it as she departed.

In the main foyer, she saw all of her friends and smiled when she realized they where looking at the handle of the skillet which was sticking out of the Tremere Prince tapestry. "He would wish it was as hard and as long as that." Maxis yelled with a smile. Thane laughed as well. "Well the repair staff is going to have a dickens of a time pulling that thing out."

The echo of heels resounded in the Intensive Care Unit of Parkland Hospital. The two figures moved gracefully down the dimly lit corridor heading for a security check point. Two burly men stood in the middle of the hall, both Secret Service agents watched as the two people approached. Thane and Dragon walked into the red light of an exit sign, stopping directly in front of the agents. One agent leaned down to look at them closer, and then smiled a broad smile. "Hi Mister Thane How are you?" Thane smiled back and shook the hand of the agent. The other Secret Service member smiled as well and shook his hand. "It's been a while Mister Thane, hope your well." Lord Thane replied "I am well as I trust you both are."

Lord Thane smiled and introduced Dragon Lady. "Gentlemen, this is Madame Dragoneleesa Ladivarich …Dragon may I introduce Agent Harley, who was going to die of cancer, but not anymore and Agent Petrochelli who was sort of sterile but not any more, he laughed what you have four children?" Petrochelli grinned and puffed up his chest. 'Five and I may have more!" Thane laughed and patted the agents shoulder. Harley bowed to Dragon and kissed her hand. She smiled and looked at Thane. "See, that's a gentleman, he has class and style, for a mortal, I like him." Thane shook his head in agreement. Dragon looked at the door to the First Ladies room. She rubbed her hands together and glanced at Thane and the agents. "Thane, let the Countess deal with the President, you stay out here and wait."

Dragon entered the room. The sound of machines permeated the air as she focused on the bed. The President was asleep in a chair near his wife, his head in her hands. Too her left, the Countess slowly appeared, from the shadows. She walked quietly over to the President and touched his head whispering in his ear. He woke with a start and jumped. "Who are you, SECURITY!" The Countess looked into the Presidents eyes, looked into his soul, his heart. He looked at her and calmed, she used her power to persuade him she was not going to harm him. "We are here to help, and hopefully give you the chance…of a lifetime."

Thane waited in the hall. He received a call from Roman telling him that all Princes had been advised about what had happened, and the Tremere Prince had released a comment through the new Primogen that they had no involvement in the incident and would provide no apology. He shook his head, bloody Tremere never took responsibility for anything.

The agents paced and Thane paced back and forth. The Toreador pulled his cigar case out and removed a Bavarian cigar. He was about to light it when he remembered he was in a hospital and grumbled under his breath. He turned and handed the cigar to Petrochelli. "Here, have one early for baby number six!" Petrochelli took the cigar and smiled. "Thank you, er sir, what will she do, the Dragon?" Thane shook his head. "I don't know, I don't know anything about the magic arts, I know they work and they are very mysterious." Harley pointed at his chest. "Well, I had cancer, and she just touched me, just touched me, it was unreal, I felt like I was a kid." .

The door opened and Dragon walked out a little ashen from the power she had used, the Countess followed closely behind. The agents and Thane looked at them both. Behind them, the President held the First Ladies hand, looking at her. She smiled up to him and began to cry.

Janet Carter stood in the parking lot of CIA headquarters with a dumbfounded look and a cell phone to her ear. "A bug your kidding, a bug, and I now have access to…anywhere, well Ok, you got it." She closed the call and put the cell phone in her purse; she walked into the building and flashed her ID to the security desk. Walking through all the security check points she made her way to Research and Development. Ahead of her Martin McClatchy stood reading a report and noticed her walking towards him. "So your Carter, your Usher's replacement, I hope you will do a better job then her and please…keep me advised on things." Carter smiled and nodded. "Yes sir, can I ask you, what happened to this Usher person?" Martin closed the report, on the outside of the folder, was a small picture of Usher. "She is a traitor; she was working on a project that involved foreign sources that are not in line with CIA attitude."

Carter nodded and watched McClatchy walk away. She entered the former office of Usher and closed the door. She had been a researcher for the Department of Immigration, now a senior researcher with R and D, a nice promotion. Sitting at her desk, she remained motionless, and then she saw the bug. It stood on the key board and looked up at her, a Black Widow. It moved slowly across the desk and climbed up the computer tower and crawled inside. A moment later, the computer popped on and the screen flashed with files being deleted and some being edited. The Black Widow crawled out and moved across the desk as the computer continued to operate. It stopped and looked up at her; in her mind she heard a female voice. "I will be here if you need anything, just talk towards the floor vent." Carter looked around and saw the floor vent across the room, when she looked back at the desk, the spider was gone. Looking back at the vent, she saw the spider jump down it and disappeared.

The President stood on the bow of his yacht, the fog was thin and he could still make out the pier at Martha's Vineyard. A female voice spoke to him from his left, invisible. "She will not know how she recovered, and the best thing is to just praise the Doctors and hospital." The President sat and looked outward towards the sound of a fog horn. "Vampires, witches, it is still hard to deal with, but my wife is healed and that's all I care about." The Countess remained invisible and sat next to the President. "We want nothing, just to remain unknown, just the thoughts of movie makers and writers. But we may ask a favor or two at times, nothing important." The President smiled as his wife walked out onto the bow. She smiled and sat in his lap. He looked at her and tears welled up in his eyes. Looking at where the Countess sat, he whispered. "I can do favors."

Thane slid the quill into the crystal holder and closed his journal. He sipped his blood wyne and relaxed in his den, a fire burned although he needed no heat. He looked up at the tapestry of the Countess and smiled. He was tired and needed rest, his crypt was waiting and the light was approaching. He walked to his stairwell and twisted the gargoyle releasing the center of the stairs. The hatch opened and Phaedra stood under it in a pink teddy and a fresh chalice of blood. He smiled and tossed his coat off and walked into the darkness.


End file.
